Luka Modric 'ashamed' of Croatia's 'catastrophic night' against England - BBC Sport
BBC Sport
England defeated Croatia 7-0 in a Nations League match, leaving Croatia captain Luka Modric feeling "ashamed" of his side's performance.
Modric, reflecting on his 205th international appearance, described the game as a "catastrophic night," feeling his team looked like they had "four or five players less." He added, "I've been here for 20 years, but for the first time I feel ashamed after a game."
Croatia, under manager Slaven Bilic, had recently secured an extension to Modric's international career. Despite a promising start to Bilic's second spell, including a 2-1 win against the Czech Republic, the team struggled against England and Spain.
The 7-0 loss to England was a harsh reality check for Croatia, leaving them in third place in Group A3 with challenging fixtures against Spain and England ahead.
Modric acknowledged the team's performance as unacceptable, stating, "Losing like this and squandering the reputation we've built over the years is unacceptable... [it was a] catastrophic night [for Croatia]."
He urged his team to "pull ourselves together... show our true colours... [and] regain our pride."